With recent advances in digital transmission technology, subscriber television systems are now capable of providing much more than the traditional analog broadcast video. In implementing enhanced programming, the home communication terminal device (“HCT”), otherwise known as the set-top box, has become an important computing device for accessing media content services (and media content within those services) and navigating a user through a maze of available services. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality, digital HCTs (or “DHCTs”) now also support an increasing number of two-way digital services such as video-on-demand and personal video recording.
Typically, a DHCT is connected to a cable or satellite, or generally, a subscriber television system, and includes hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of the digital television system at the user's site. Some of the software executed by a DHCT can be downloaded and/or updated via the subscriber television system. Each DHCT also typically includes a processor, communication components, and memory, and is connected to a television or other display device, such as a personal computer. While many conventional DHCTs are stand-alone devices that are externally connected to a television, a DHCT and/or its functionality may be integrated into a television or personal computer or even an audio device such as a programmable radio, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
DHCTs are typically capable of providing users with a very large number and variety of media content choices. DHCTs equipped with personal video recording functionality (e.g., via the use of a coupled storage device) provide the user with the opportunity to record favorite media content and/or to record and subsequently view media content he or she would otherwise have missed due to, for example, scheduling conflicts. Many DHCTs provide users with television program information via interactive program guides (IPGs), which allow a user to scroll through and/or search available program information for broadcast and/or on-demand media content, but current mechanisms provide limited program information for recorded media content and are cumbersome to use.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.